Scudamore defends PL dominance

17 April 2009 10:13

Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore has defended the dominance of English clubs in the UEFA Champions League.

The Premier League has come under criticism in recent years for allowing a 'Big Four' to emerge in England that have gone on to rule European competition.

At least one English side has made the final of the competition for the past four years, producing two winners in Liverpool and most recently Manchester United, who overcame Chelsea in last year's showpiece.

And with the competition now on course for another all-English final, Scudamore has reiterated that the clubs are there rightly because they are the strongest in Europe.

"The whole point of a competition is the best come out on top and that is what is happening," he told The Sun.

"It's a pity we couldn't have had all four of our clubs in the semi-finals.

"There are no easy games in the Premier League and that prepares clubs well for Europe. What matters is that the best teams play the best football, entertain the fans and win matches.

"I understand the arguments against English domination but I don't accept them."

Format changeWhile Scudamore is happy to see the Premier League outfits regularly making the latter stages of the Champions League, he feels that if Uefa wish to rein in the English clubs then they should first look at altering their own system before pointing the finger at England's top flight.

The current European campaign has seen Chelsea knock fellow English side Liverpool out of the competition, and Scudamore expects that a simple change to the format could lead to Premier League clubs having to overcome each other earlier on.

"At the moment clubs from the same country cannot be drawn against each other until the quarter-finals," he added.